What I found particularly interesting in “It’s how leaders behave that matters, not where they are from”, is the nuanced balance between universal leadership principles and cultural context. The idea that leadership processes are fundamentally universal, even if their applications vary culturally, challenges the common assumption that leadership styles must drastically change across different regions. For example, the perspectives shared by global leaders Caroline Wang and Rajeev Peshawaria highlight that effective leadership behavior transcends geography and culture, emphasizing consistent leadership behaviors rather than localized personality traits or motivation techniques. This insight was new to me because I had previously assumed that leadership was highly culture-dependent, with leaders needing to adjust their style significantly to each unique environment.

The study’s use of empirical data from multiple countries, like India, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Ethiopia, further illustrates this point. Although there were some statistical differences in specific leadership practices such as Modeling and Encouraging, the overall leadership patterns and their impact on employee engagement and leader effectiveness showed remarkable consistency across cultures. This suggests that while culture influences some leadership behaviors, there are foundational leadership actions valued globally. I found this affirmation of universal leadership behaviors insightful, especially in a world increasingly interconnected by globalization and technology.

Another new aspect for me was the positive correlation between leaders’ engagement in key leadership practices and positive workplace attitudes regardless of culture. The fact that leaders who frequently modeled behaviors, inspired, and challenged their teams fostered stronger team spirit and higher productivity is powerful evidence that certain leadership qualities resonate across cultures. This finding aligns with ethical frameworks like the Rights and Responsibilities lens, where respecting and supporting others is a core duty, and with Consequentialism, since leadership behaviors that generate positive workplace outcomes benefit the whole organization.

Barry Z. Posner, (2013),”It’s how leaders behave that matters, not where they are from”, Leadership &
Organization Development Journal, Vol. 34 Iss 6 pp. 573 – 587